The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-03
CHILD rem OF THE PUBLIC.
A Large Gathering of Citizens Consider Meth
DDS Of Systema tic Work for Their Relief

There was quite a large gathering at Y. NJ. G.
| A. Hall last evening to consider the condition of
the homeless children of the city, and make
| preparations for more systematic work for their
| relief and education. The programme was
| opensd with the an them, PRAISE Ye the Lord, .
| by the choir of ST. Paul's Church. which also
| furnished the music during the evening Pray
| was offered by Rev. w. r. Jordan, after
| which the choir sang There's Music in the
Air"
Rev. j. S. Jenckes announced the purpose of
the meeting, and introduced Mr.. ". De NJ.
Hooper. who gave a sketch of the work among
the newsboys up to the present time. He said
that nineteen or twenty months ago the Y. w.
G. I. U. made arrangements to open tempo
rary home in the basement under the Temperance
Union lunch Not more than fifteen
twenty ladies engaged in the work. and their la
Dor was free-will offering. The boys were
furnished with good reading, warm room dur
ing the day, and with meals at acual cost. They
had also nightschool and Sunday-school
There were. however, no sleeping aecommoda-
tions. and as the weather grew colder it seemed
SO cruel to turn them out into the Streets
when the closed at 9 o'clock,
that it was determined to make
some other arrangement The boys improved
slowly. The management never obtained
hold on them until the burial of johnny Macon,
who was killed by the Then they began
to realize that they had friends. In the mean
time the license system was adopted, and within
a year $50 licenses were taken out On Sept.
III. 1886, the home was moved to its present
location and sleeping accommodations pro-
vided From then TO Christmas not a nswsboy
or bootblock was before the Mayor though pre-
viously they had been arrested almost daily for
petty offenses.
Colonel Ritter was next introduced. He had
a iaan al hvyf haG
showing what it cost to raise man,
and what man was worth to the government
after he was raised. He considered it
cheaper to raise a good man than a bad one It
was also cheaper to raise man good taan to
change him when he had been raised bad. The
EFFORT required to reform one criminal would
prevent five or six from becoming criminals if
made when they had not become hardened.
Convince boy that he has no friends and he is
a criminal from that day: The people of this
city ought to see that no boy is left homeless;
no boy or girl should be permitted to feel that
he or she Is without friends.
Mr.. E. ". Halford spoke briefly, contrasting
the large amount of money cheerfullv spent in
reformatory work with the small amount doled !
out for preventive work.
Hon. S. j. Pselle said the object of the institu-
ton was not merely TO furnish food and clothing
but also to build character The good and evil |
OF one generation transmitted to the next |
He demonstrated that the Hebrews, Greeks, Ro- /
mans, Egyptians and other nations were in favor |
OF raising children properly, and declared that |
he favored com pulsorv education.
Az tno CONCLUSION OF MT. feell6S remarks |
Colonel Hogeand was introduced. and for near
lv an hour, late az it was, entrancsd the audi |
dience with the rehearsal of his work in caring |
for and finding hemss for homeless and friend
less boys and girls. Many of the incidents were
thrilling in their recital, and there were few dry
eyes, either among the men or women. The
Colonel alluded to the fact that society has the
most ella borate and costly machinery for sending
boys and men to the jails and pententiaries
and for taking care of them while there but has /
made little or no provision for keeping them out
and making good citizens of them. 1t is to this
work that he is devoting his time, and it is this
apos. There are Ga. 900 convicts in the peniten-
taries of the country and it costs So 900 to send
each one of them there. Would it not be better
to spend little to keep even one out of the pris-
on and make useful and productive citizen of
himl The Coloneps manner Of speaking is his
own. It 10 inimitabs, and forcible, and deeply
Il is pity he did not have the
hall crowded to listen to his facts and anecdotes
When Mr.. Hogsland was through, it was
deemed better to call another preliminary meet
ing for this afternoon Mt half past three o'clock
at the Newsboys' Home, % West Ohio street
when arrangements will be made to perfect an
and for another public meeting
as soon as possible, which Mr. Hogeland can ad-
dress All persons interested in any phase of
the work for the homeless aud frendless
youth OF the city are earnestly requested TO be
present at the meeting this afternoon, at half
past three. Colonel Hogeand will be present
and speak. and it will be we'll worth the time of
any body to hear him. number of persons
expressed their intention 10 join the organiza-
ion it could be perfected. Miss
Lottie Adam sang beautiful and appropriate
solo. after which Rev Dr. Jenckes dismissed
he audience with the benedictiou